1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electrolysis systems, and in particular to an electrolysis chamber.
2. Background of the Invention
to Electrolysis is a process wherein electric current is passed through an ionic substance dissolved in an appropriate solvent, which results in chemical reactions at the electrodes immersed in the electrolysis chamber solution, and the production of certain desirable output products.
The principal components required to bring electrolysis about are a source of electrical energy electrically connected to a pair of electrodes extending into a liquid containing mobile ions (an “electrolyte”), which is contained in an electrolysis chamber. When an electrical potential difference is applied across the electrodes, each electrode attracts ions of the opposite charge: the positive electrode (the “anode”) attracts negatively-charged ions (“anions”), while the negatively-charged electrode (the “cathode”) attracts positively charged ions (“cations”).
At the electrodes, electrons are absorbed or released by the atoms and ions. Those atoms that gain or lose electrons to become charged ions pass into the electrolyte. Those ions that gain or lose electrons to become uncharged atoms separate from the electrolyte. The formation of uncharged atoms from ions is called discharging.
The electrolysis products are collected at the electrodes. For example where the electrolysis of brine produces hydrogen and chlorine gas, the gas bubbles rise to the surface of the electrolyte for collection.
In order to employ electrolysis chambers in a useful manner, it is necessary to provide entry into the electrolysis chamber for the initial products, which may be salt in a water solution and water; and exit from the chamber for the electrolysis products, which may be a chemical A such as hypochlorous acid (HC10) and sodium hydroxide (NAOH), and by-products sich as brine (salt in a water solution).
It is common industry practice to install electrolysis electrodes together in series within the same electrolysis chamber, in interest of efficiency. The electrodes are separated by membranes, which also serve to separate the initial products and electrolysis products into appropriate electrolysis sub-chambers.
FIG. 3 schematically depicts a four-electrode electrolysis chamber, and FIG. 4 schematically depicts a three-electrode chamber. It may be appreciated from these figures that routing the correct initial electrolysis products into the appropriate electrolysis sub-chambers is a non-trivial activity. Similarly, extracting electrolysis end products from the appropriate sub-chambers can become complicated, unless a common routing is established for each electrolysis end product.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a single inlet port for each electrolysis initial product, and appropriate passaging to distribute each electrolysis initial product from each inlet port to corresponding electrolysis sub-chambers.
Similarly, it would be desirable to provide a single outlet port for each electrolysis end product, and appropriate passaging to distribute each electrolysis end product from its corresponding electrolysis sub-chambers to its single outlet port.
In addition, it would be desirable to provide a means to set the flow rate of the first initial product into each first initial product sub-chamber, so that input rate and production rate can be set in each first initial product sub-chamber.